Latinas in music are shining muy fuerte this year, and we’re all about it. From indie pop to cumbia, rap, and doo-wop, you need to hear these seven Latina music artists before the year is out. Plenty of the names on this list have already been featured in our annual forecasts and Artists You Should Know series. Though just as many of them have accomplished some serious career milestones since we’ve last written about them. From stellar debut albums and Latin Grammy nominees to rising voices blazing a path for female artists of color — these are the women in music you need to hear.

This feature was produced and co-written by Sandra B. Olinger, and co-written by Steven Ward.

1. Estevie

Not too long ago, we sought to introduce you to Southern California’s Estevie via her sweltering summer hit “Miami.” The Beaumont-born artist has emerged as an alluring new voice in Latin music, heralded by the release of her debut album Cumbialicious. As its title suggests, the record draws on both cumbia and reggaeton, one of its standout tracks, “el paso” (feat. Cuco) weaving a Chicano love story around the album’s enticing rhythms. From singing her heart out to taking part in irresistible duets with fellow Latine artists, Estevie’s stunning, breathy vocals always shine bright, especially when singing about love (press play on “como yo”). She is committed to revitalizing traditional and regional music of Latin America for a whole new generation.

2. Angélica Garcia

From the moment we heard Angélica Garcia issued a rousing command to “Wear your roots” on her 2019 single and music video for “Jícama,” we’ve been fans ever since. If you haven’t yet taken a deep dive into her first two albums, then take a moment to immerse yourself in them: debut LP Medicine for Birds entwines her Latin roots with the galvanizing rollick of Americana. At the same time, its follow-up, Cha Cha Palace, embraced her Spanish lyricism and an ecstatic blend of pop/rock. In 2023, Garcia only further smashed any genre barriers that might’ve surrounded her sound, teaming up with Sinego and French Braids for the funky party track “Quema.” Singles like the quaking chant “Y Grito” and the electronic-tinged anthem “El Que” are marked by their cinematic breadth and emotional evocations. However, on her new album released this year, Gemelo, and what might be her most personal project to date, Garcia artfully compacts her core emotions across 10 tracks. The album finds Garcia embracing Spanish, bringing her closer to her roots while becoming more distinct than any other pop auteur. 

3. Jarina De Marco

With just a dozen singles and debut EP Malcriada to her name, we predicted Jarina De Marco’s meteoric rise at the beginning of 2022. Since then, she’s dropped her first full-length album in the form of Caribbean All-Inclusive Luxury — its nine tracks offer a vibrant celebration of the Dominican Republic’s music even as it dishes out sardonic criticisms of its tourism industry. Songs like the body-positive “Masa” and dreamily torrid “Pool Bar” dispel any doubt that De Marco is one of the next big names to dominate Latin pop. On top of making spectacular music, she’s also a fantastic content creator. We love her posts about Motherhood, her badass mom’s fashion from back in the day, and her witty Dominican Spanish series.

Most recently, she collaborated with NVDES on the energized dance track, “That’s What I Want” and TRY on “Next To Me.”

3. J Noa

At just 19 years old, the fiery lyricism of Dominican rapper J Noa has more than earned her the title of “la hija del rap.” With a blitz of ferocious energy, she moves at lightspeed through Spanish bars, holding up a mirror to the social and political crises that unfolded around her growing up in San Cristóbal. “Autodidacta” — the blistering intro and title track off her 2023 EP — even earned a Latin Grammy nomination under the Best Rap/Hip Hop Song category. She followed up in 2024 with the release of her debut album, Mátense Por la Corona. Armed with an unshakable conviction and talent for uncovering searing truths, chances are you will hear much more about J Noa’s ascent in the rap game.

5. Andrea de Varona of Fake Dad

Just last year, Fake Dad—the project of duo Josh Ford and Andrea de Varona—released their radiant sophomore EP, Yerba Mala. The five-track collection saw de Varona start to entangle the band’s lyricism in Spanish, as on the intoxicatingly punchy “So Dramatic!” and languidly gleaming melodies that unfurl on “Momento.” And with their latest single—“Crybaby“— a delightfully irreverent romp through ego-driven ambition, de Varona continues to entice with her sublime bilingual vocals, making them all the more beguiling. Every one of Fake Dad’s indie-pop bops is inextricably tied to the infectious voice of de Varona.

6. Soltera

Hailing from the San Fernando Valley, Soltera (a.k.a. Tania Ordoñez) embodies much of what’s allowed Latin artists and music to thrive. The first is fostering a space for community and dance — something Soltera started doing long before she was regularly releasing music — hosting live shows with a reputation for being generators of passionate physical kineticism. She also often pairs her already bewitching experimental dance tracks with equally mesmerizing music videos, further revealing herself as a firmly DIY artist who DJs, produces, and conceives all the multimedia facets of her music. This year saw the release of her new album, Sol Y Santi, with fellow composer/producer Santiago Salazar. Before that, she dropped a hypnotic mixtape of thrumming electronica Todo O Nada Vol. 1, along with a string of adrenaline-pumping and sonically oscillating singles like “Malas Palabras” and “Basura.” If you’re into darker dance music, with post-punk and techno vibes, you gotta get with Soltera.

7. Angie Monroy of The McCharmlys

Hailing from Santa Ana, CA, The McCharmlys are a delicious dose of doo-wop for the modern day. Sweet as cherry pie, singer Angie Monroy coos and charms with her saccharine vocals and jangly guitar playing. Everything from her music style to fashion and even the band’s album artwork and photos reflects a deep appreciation for vintage music and the 1960s era. Monroy and The McCharmlys skillfully navigate the musical landscape between doo-wop and the pre-British invasion period, creating a vibrant gumbo of sounds that pulls at the nostalgia of the heart. If you dig those kinds of sounds and aesthetic, The McCharmlys will have you singing to the drive-in.

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